I work for a fortune 300 Utility company that just implemented phase 1 of our pandemic flu response plan. Part of that plan has restricted business travel to about 7 countries including Italy where I was planning to do my ED. Of course, they can't legally restrict my personal travel but they have implemented policy on personal travel as well which includes a 14 day quarantine upon arrival back to the US before I can return to work. I work in a mission critical area of our company since I run several large power plants that provide electricity for the New Orleans Metropolitan region so being quarantined would not be good for me professionally. Who knows, the virus will probably spread to other parts of Europe as well by the time I do my ED which is in July. I am probably going to cancel my trip and car. I only buy Porsches via ED. I'm bummed. Maybe this whole virus thing is an over reaction but irregardless, I now have restrictions by my employer.

 

Sorry to hear, Sub. Take the car. Stay out of Italy. Hopefully the travel restrictions don't expand.

 

I was wondering how others would be affected by this, and even if Porsche themselves would put the program on hold. July is a fair way out and so much could change between now and then, but unfortunately it does seem likely to have spread more widely by then even if containment methods are better established. Hopefully for your sake you can find away around this. And thank you for your very interesting and helpful posts in the past, lets all hope we get to see more .

 

Sub, hey, a nice 14 day home quarantine is exactly what you need when you return.

5 days for paint correction and ceramic coating
2 days installing all your mods
6 days finishing the break-in period and editing video for posting on-line
1 day to do the early oil change
Back to work on day #15

 

I like your way of thinking. Brilliant!

 

Ha ha. You know I dont do break-ins and early oil changes. lol. I was going to do a mod to remove the gas particulate filter housing and maybe the center muffler. I have to hear how it sounds first.

....and I only buy Porsches via European Delivery anyway......

 

The virus, which at this time has no vaccine or anit-virulent (like Flumadine, etc), will continue to infect and kill people. It is aggressive, and masquerades as a cold initially, then goes quiet as it dives into your lungs. This is nasty bug, and the more "Events" that are cancelled the better. The good news is that just about all anti-pathogen production facilities are focusing on finding a vaccine. We will find it, we just need time to do so. Sadly, travel, conferences, and all major and even minor events are being cancelled to slow the spread, but not stop it. We are buying time. I wouldn't go anywhere outside of the country until this thing is under some form of control, or you WILL find yourself in some form of predicament.

 

scary stuff
I don't even want to leave me house

 

Our ED is April 22, and we’re thinking there is a good chance it could be impacted. Porsche has put a policy in place that suspends until Easter attending or hosting any events of more than 50 people, and over the past two days infections have jumped to more than 600 countrywide. We are thinking of still doing the European trip even if Porsche shuts down the ED program, but will make the decision the week before our flight to Paris April 17.

 

I'm of the mind that staying away from public venues as much as possible and practising the same kinds of preventive measures in a foreign country as at home - frequent hand washing, wiping down airline and train tray tables, etc. - will almost certainly be sufficient to prevent contracting the virus. Of course, if we do our ED, we'll avoid locations where there are breakouts, and stay away from urban centres (which is the plan anyway). A key point to consider is that the whole point of the trip is to spend time ensconced in the car, which over the course of 3 weeks would leave me less exposed than if I were at home going about my normal business. Maybe I'm less fussed about the virus than most as my wife and I - me 64 and she 59 - are exceptionally healthy with highly functional immune systems, and no co-morbidity factors. Assuming Porsche will let us pick up the car, we will be abundantly cautious and make the best of the situation.

 

Hey @subshooter . I'm in the same boat. My company is restricting non-essential travel to affected countries and I would be required to stay home for a 2 week quarantine when I get back. More importantly though, unfortunately it will still get worse before things get better and as of now covid-19 has already spread across Europe (see map below) and I won't want to be stuck in Europe when it worsens and potentially prevent me from crossing borders or going home. All these things obviously dampened all the excitement so for me it won't be worth it at this time.

I was supposed to be picking up my 992 at Zuff on 3/30 then heading to Lucerne and Jungfrau region for a week then back to Stuttgart. All travel arrangements were set, but I have now cancelled my ED as of 3/2. Link to thread here - ED thread. I have since switched my delivery to PEC Atlanta and now waiting for confirmation on the my US delivery date.

I haven't considered canceling my car order mainly because I still want the car and I think there is a fee/penalty to cancel a confirmed ED?

 

I am a health fanatic and an exercise machine. Didn't matter, one day a few years ago I ended up in the hospital with Pneumonia, nearly died. Anything can take you out at anytime.

This virus is far more rampant than is reported, as not "every" case is being reported. We don't know what we don't know, but we do know is there is no anti-virus medication, no cure, no nothing to kill this thing; it must run its course, and if you survive, great. If not, you become a statistic.

HIMMS and SIHH were just cancelled, and these are massive conferences. Why? Because we don't know where this will end, or if it is mutating, or what the final body count will be. We don't want to make it easy.

More likely, possibly someone on your plane, train, hotel or building has the virus and you end up quarantined, and potentially subjected to the healthcare system where you are. You could end up involuntarily stranded by act of law, there or here.

One thing for sure, I'd buy the travel insurance.

If I had a car coming, I'd be monitoring the planes and trains as well as my destination carefully, knowing full well this thing is spreading, and I will be increasing my risk by going. Just a fact. How lucky do you feel? I would have a contingency plan in case you must cancel...check with Porsche and the airlines etc. I would know both paths up and down.

 

@subshooter A trip of this sort certainly requires planning fairly well ahead of time, thus I understand that you are considering the possibility of not being able to participate in ED, especially under the circumstances set forth by your employer. That said, warm weather will make its way across the globe fairly soon as Spring arrives. It is possible COVID-19 will be curbed by warmer, more humid temperatures. So, the level of concern surrounding the virus could look quite a bit different by the time your ED is scheduled to occur mid-summer.

Granted, this is all armchair epidemiology on my part, and the future will be what it will be. Regardless, I hope you will be able to enjoy a new car soon, taking delivery in the manner of your choosing. Cheers!

 

I gotta imagine that given the most recent travel restrictions to Europe, Porsche will be forced to give folks that want them refunds on any ED additional costs and ship the cars to the local dealers.

I’d love to do ED someday, but this is not the right time. Nearly certain that your work will require a 2 week quarantine when you return, and most of us can’t professionally afford that.

 

I received a letter (e-mail) from Porsche yesterday offering several delivery options. Talking w/ my SA this morning to decide a path forward. If you have an upcoming ED and are affected, you presumably got the same letter, so call your SA & decide what you want to do.